The Handy Supreme Court Answer Book

The Handy Supreme Court Answer Book by David L. Hudson and published by Visible Ink Press offers an accessible way to understand the history and behind-the-scenes activities of the Supreme Court. It is divided into short sections of a paragraph or so each, in a question-and-answer format. It starts with a broad history of the Court and moves on to circuit assignments, offers interesting details, and has a section on the Clerk of the Court. It then offers extensive information regarding important Justices and selected cases in history. Each section includes primary source material, like quotations by the Justices or opinions themselves. The book is highly educational.

My only concern rests in a few errors or judgment calls. For example, in the explanation of Loving V Virginia, the picture included isn’t of the couple themselves, and the caption implies that it is. In another example, a photo caption reads (paraphrased) that the “fact that a woman voted to overturn Roe incensed women across the country”. That is a rather reductionist assessment regarding the outrage over the end of federal abortion rights. There are what I assume are typos, as well. Overall, the book offers educational insight, but I would caution teachers or professors about the weaknesses, too.